Joy, a survivor of child sexual abuse, attended The Haven Retreat and it was the missing puzzle piece.

The Saprea Retreat Provided the Missing Piece of the Puzzle

I attended the Saprea Retreat in June 2017. I cannot describe the kind of love, support, and genuine caring that I received there. I spent years in therapy that did not help. The retreat provided the missing piece of the puzzle for me. I consider myself to be very lucky indeed because the group I attended with was the first to be offered online continuing education after the retreat. I don’t know that I would have been able to make the progress I have without it. If you are still struggling alone in silence, please know this–healing IS possible. At 64, I am living proof. Thank you, Saprea. Thank you!

-Jan, Survivor

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Embrace the Truth that You are Intended for Greatness: A Message from Shelaine Maxfield

Guest blog post written by Shelaine Maxfield, Board Chair and President of The Younique Foundation

Each of us is on a journey of self-discovery, and each of us has an incredible purpose to fulfill. That specific purpose looks different for everyone, and that’s okay. I was unaware of my potential as a child and young adult. It wasn’t until I was in my mid to late twenties that I realized I had wasted my life living below that potential.

For a long time, I didn’t know that I had a purpose or potential to live up to. I grew up in a small town, I didn’t develop or discover any talents in my childhood, and I don’t have a college degree. These things are true about me, but they are what I call my “wrong truths.” I realized that I was living my life based on the understanding and the belief that I was a nobody from nowhere.

I had to take a good look at my life and do a lot of soul-searching to figure out what was right with me, what I had to offer, and what I could contribute to society. After some time, I came to the conclusion that I have a big heart. I have a willingness to help and a desire to be a blessing in the lives of those around me.

These things might not look very impressive on a résumé, but they are exactly what I need to live my life with purpose. Looking back, I can see that I had opportunities to do more good than I did. I was stuck in the mentality that somehow my ability to achieve success was inhibited by and dependent upon how others might react to me. I allowed my insecurities to get in the way of doing good. I was so busy seeing the barricades that I failed to notice the pathways. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to accept that yes, what people say about me still has the potential to hurt my feelings, but negative perceptions or comments cannot affect my ability to rise above them unless I allow them to.

I asked myself a simple question, and my perspective on my life changed. For me, it didn’t happen in one big “ah-ha” moment. It didn’t happen overnight. And while I can tie this perspective shift back to a certain time of my life, it’s been a series of seemingly insignificant events. The shift has happened for me gradually, and, honestly, it’s still happening. But I think when it comes right down to it, I simply caught hold of the thought, “What if?”

What if I was intended for more than just getting through each day? What if I’m supposed to be doing something important with my life? What if I’m not living up to God’s plan for me? And then I let those thoughts sink in deeply. Those thoughts sunk so deeply that they landed on a reservoir of potential that I didn’t even know was there. I let those thoughts evolve, and I allowed them to start influencing the choices I made, sometimes big choices, but mostly the little everyday choices. Gradually, I also learned to recognize those regularly occurring negative thoughts for what they were: progress preventers.

I was allowing those negative thoughts and those wrong truths to dictate who I was and who I would become. Then I thought: what would happen if I embraced the things that were right with me? What if I let those things determine the path of my life instead? If thoughts had the power to lead me on a path that I didn’t want to stay on, then what would happen if I let them lead me to where I’d rather be? We have to choose where our energy and our time are best spent. We have to maximize the effort we give and only give it to the things that matter the most to us. We may need to give up some things, but most things just need to be reassessed, restructured, organized and then given 100% of our focus during the time that we have set aside for them.

We have to choose where our energy and our time are best spent. We have to maximize the effort we give and only give it to the things that matter the most to us. Shelaine Maxfield, Board Chair and President

My life is what it is today because I asked myself over a decade and a half ago, “What if?” What if I could become all the things that I admire in other people? What if I let go of the negativity and immersed myself in positive things instead? Then, instead of telling myself I couldn’t change and grow, I grabbed hold of my aspirations and they have become a metamorphosis for me. I want all of you to experience this kind of transformation in your own lives. I hope that something I have shared opens your eyes and your hearts to the truth that there is incredible power within each of you. We don’t need to look to the world to find out who we are intended to be. That amazing version of ourselves that we hope to become someday has been right here inside of us all along, just waiting to be discovered.

Embrace the truth that there is incredible power within you. Embrace the truth that you are intended for greatness – I know that you are. Kick your journey of self-discovery into high gear and discover who you are intended to be by taking something away, just one thing: negativity. Start by recognizing it in its many forms and then respond by saying, “There is no room for negativity here.” When we remove the negativity from our lives, we make room for the goodness that life has to offer. We open our hearts to discovering our purpose, and we uncover the incredible goodness that is within us. We allow ourselves to truly become what we are intended to be.

Guest blog written by Shelaine Maxfield

Shelaine Maxfield

Shelaine Maxfield, President and Board Chair of The Younique Foundation, is a wife and mother who loves spending time with her family. She enjoys traveling and learning about other cultures and hopes to see as much of the world as possible in her lifetime. She is currently learning Portuguese in her spare time and hopes to become a linguist someday. Shelaine strives to be a positive influence for good in the lives of all those she interacts with and believes that we, as individuals, have the power within each of us to change the world.

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Julie, a survivor of child sexual abuse, attended The Haven Retreat and learned that she is worth love.

I Learned Something Very Important: I Am Worth Love

I was severely abused starting when I was just a baby. I was so alone and I wanted to be loved so much, but I did not receive love from anyone in my life. In fact, I did not receive help for my abuse until I was 17. A lot of damage had been done by then and I need a lot of help.

I had a wonderful therapist who believed me and did not question me like everyone else. For the first time in my life, I began to trust. This man became my therapist, pastor, surrogate father, and very good friend. He helped me through a lot of pain, but I still felt very worthless—I still did not feel “loved.”

When I was 20 I married my best friend. He loved me with all his heart, but I was very damaged and I was not able to love him properly because I did not know how to love myself or appreciate any part of me. We had several problems and the word “divorce” came up often. Even with that, he still loved me and nothing I could do would stop him from loving me.

When I was 30 I heard about the Saprea Retreat. I was skeptical at first, but my pastor, husband, and friends urged me to apply and I was accepted in a matter of two weeks. I drove from my home in the Bay Area to Salt Lake City, Utah. I learned so much about myself during the drive and was so ready to accept any and all the help that would be offered to me. I thought I knew what I was getting into, but I really had no idea what to expect.

At the retreat, I met so many ladies that soon became my “warrior sisters,” friends and women who I had this fantastic bond with. There was healing in every activity, session, and even meal. I attended as many classes as I could and, slowly, I began to love myself and view myself as someone who is strong and worth something. I opened up about things in my past to the ladies in my group and it scared me, but the women, therapists, case managers, and everyone involved in my healing journey helped me. I began to view myself as someone who deserved love and finally discovered I had hope in my life and I could get better just by applying the things I learned and letting people in and allowing myself to be loved. For the first time, I learned something very important:

I AM WORTH LOVE.

After the retreat, I went back home and I was welcomed with open arms. I have thrived. I have opened myself up to people I always held back from in the past. Every day I learn more things about myself and I try to be as positive as I can. I deserve and am worth love, and I truly believe that in my heart now. I praise God for the Saprea Retreat and for everything that I experienced before, during, and after the retreat. But most of all, I’m thankful for learning about Love.

-Julie, Survivor

Interested in Attending the Saprea Retreat?

Carrie, a survivor of child sexual abuse, attended The Haven Retreat and realized that she was oblivious to how her mind worked.

I Was Oblivious to the Way My Mind Worked

I used to believe that my story was less important than others. When I heard other women tell their stories, I felt so sad for them. Little did I know, mine was important too.

I never really knew how much it affected me, still to this day. I never knew that the anger I had was so connected to it. I never knew that a lot of my life situations stemmed from my abuse.

Until I met the world of Saprea, I was oblivious to the way my mind worked.

Now, this isn’t a miracle story. I say that because I am still learning how to work through it every day due to trials coming with tribulations. I’ve found that different things work for different people.

Before I end this, I just want each and every one of you survivors to know that your story is equally important as the next survivor.

-Carrie, Survivor

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Samantha, a survivor of child sexual abuse, attended The Haven Retreat and was mended with love.

I Was Mended with Strength, Bravery, and Love

Before I went to the Saprea Retreat, I was very scared and broken inside. I never thought I would be able to start that healing process. Once I got there I started to notice that healing was possible. I’m very grateful for the staff at Saprea. They showed me that even though I felt broken, I wasn’t. I was a beautiful art piece that was mended together with strength, bravery, and love. I will never forget the experience I had there.

I am strong. I am brave. I am beautiful. I am a Survivor!

-Samantha, Survivor

Interested in Attending Saprea Retreat?

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How Time Magazine’s Person of the Year is Shifting the Story

Every year Time magazine chooses a Person of the Year. Someone who was significant in the events of that year, whether positive or negative. This year instead of just one person, they chose to highlight the women and men who spoke up about their sexual abuse, sexual harassment, or sexual assault, including the woman who created the #MeToo campaign.

The Time magazine cover choice marks an amazing shift away from focusing on the perpetrator to focusing on the survivor. These women and men have been shown to be strong, capable, and courageous. It’s creating a space for all survivors to tell their stories.

At The Younique Foundation, we know the power that a survivor’s story can have. In fact, we have an entire page dedicated to it called Faces of Survivors. These women have bravely shared their stories of abuse and healing. In breaking their silence, they are breaking the stigma surrounded talking about childhood sexual abuse.

If you are a survivor who is ready to share your story, we would love to hear it. If you’re a supporter who wants to help or a survivor who isn’t ready to break their silence, we have other ways that you can help, including supporting the work that we do to help educate and empower.

Time magazine’s decision to highlight the strength of the survivors will hopefully set a precedent that will continue as more women and men opened up about their experiences.  We are grateful it has shone a light on sexual abuse, taking it from something secret to something we can and should speak openly about. Let’s keep this conversation going and continue to break down the stigma around talking about it. You can heal, and we want to help you do it. You are not alone, you don’t need to feel ashamed, you are a survivor, and your story matters.

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Monica, a survivor of child sexual abuse, attended The Haven Retreat because her trauma was impacting her way of thinking.

My Trauma Was Impacting My Way of Thinking

I didn’t believe I was a deserving candidate for the Saprea Retreat. I thought I was doing okay in life and I would be taking another woman’s spot if I went. What I also didn’t realize was how my trauma was indeed impacting my way of thinking and lack of self-worth. I kept telling myself that I was a survivor, NOT a victim. I truly didn’t believe it. I could not look in the mirror and see a beautiful being.

Upon arriving, I instantly felt so much love and healing from not only the amazing staff but the other warrior women who had similar stories. I learned that I truly did deserve to be there and I was given tools to help cope and change my mindset. I never knew I could feel such love for people in such a short time!

I’m still learning to love myself and use the skills given to improve my outlook on life. I’m healing from the inside and I have a positive journey ahead of me. I am strong, beautiful, and deserving. I am a survivor. I am not broken. I am me. And I love me!

-Monica, Survivor

Interested in Attending Saprea Retreat?

word "#Metoo" on the wall

#MeToo Started the Conversation: What Now?

During October, you maybe saw someone you know and care about post #MeToo on social media. You probably asked yourself what you could do next.

Or maybe you were one of the brave survivors who said #MeToo. Perhaps this gave you a sense of freedom and power creating a want to reclaim your life after abuse.

With every breaking news story of another powerful person being called out for sexual abuse, harassment, or assault, the need to do something builds, and it is reaching a tipping point.

#MeToo started the conversation, but what is next? What do we do now, knowing that sexual abuse is rampant in our society? How can a survivor reclaim hope after abuse?

Below are a couple of things you can start today whether you are a survivor, a loved one of a survivor, or just someone who wants to make a difference.

For Survivors

  • You are not alone.

    First and foremost, you are not alone. We hope you have felt a sense of community by saying #MeToo. If you didn’t get community support, please check out our Faces of Survivors gallery. Read the amazing and courageous stories of several survivors, and truly come to know that you are not alone.

  • Seek out helpful resources

    If you are ready to reclaim hope and find lasting healing, we at The Younique Foundation have worked to put together several resources to help you as you overcome the impact of abuse.



    Two great resources are our free Reclaim Hope book and workbook, full of strategies and exercises to help you overcome triggers, live in the present, and realize a bright future is ahead.

For Supporters

  • Know how to respond when someone breaks the silence

    Hearing that a friend or family member was treated in such a horrible way is challenging. It might come as a shock, and most likely a flood of emotions will accompany the news.



    The most important thing you can do is learn how to respond when someone breaks the silence. It might be difficult to know what to say or how to react. A great place to start is to say, “I believe you. What can I do to help?” Also, we’ve compiled some tips just for you.

  • Recognize your own need for healing

    You are also affected by this abuse. Even though the abuse did not happen to you, knowing that it happened to someone you love will impact your life. The healing journey the survivor is beginning is your journey, too.



    A great resource to help you on this healing journey is our free Supporting Hope book.

Be The Difference

  • Raise your voice

    “The Younique Foundation staff could work 80 hours a week, and our effort will remain as a drop in the bucket compared to the flood that all of you can create.” –Shelaine Maxfield, Board Chair and President



    To stop child sexual abuse and provide healing for survivors, we need your voice. Follow us on social media, spark conversations by taking a picture in our apparel, and talk with those in your community about this epidemic.



    By doing these simple things, we can create a public dialogue with lasting effects.

  • Donate to help provide healing and prevention

    We need funding to continue providing resources and solutions that have an impact. Through generous donations, we can teach parents how to prevent abuse from happening, run The Haven Retreat to help survivors find healing, and also work to break the stigma surrounding sexual abuse by leading the public dialogue. Join us in this endeavor by donating today.

Whether you’re a survivor, supporter, or concerned citizen, thank you for what you do to help in the fight against childhood sexual abuse. We can’t make progress without you.

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Ashley, survivor of child sexual abuse, attended The Haven Retreat and saw what she has to offer.

I Was Able to See My Beauty and Know What I Have to Offer

For many years, 11 to be exact, I thought I had overcome my abuse and it wasn’t something I needed help with. Some of my triggers have come up over the course of the past year and the abuse was haunting me. I became a very angry person again and hurt the ones I loved most. When I lost the love of my life because of my anger, I knew I needed to face the demons that I had pushed off for so long.

I was lucky enough to hear someone else’s story about their experience at the Saprea Retreat. That moment I knew it was my time to go. I applied first and then told my aunt that I was taking the plunge to get help and become a better version of myself. She was so supportive, and I think relieved that I was finally going to seek help for myself to become healed.

The next two weeks went so fast as I awaited the day I was flying to Utah for my new beginning of life. I felt so many emotions that day and I wasn’t even sure if I was going to go through with it. Boy, was I sure happy and blessed that I followed through with the healing that I sought. Within the last week, I have learned that I am a survivor. I am not disgusting. It is NOT my fault. I am beautiful.

Getting the tools I needed to be able to continue life without anger is more than I could ever ask for. In just four short days, I was able to overcome my anger and feel happiness. I was able to see my beauty and know what I have to offer.

-Ashley, Survivor

Interested in Attending Saprea Retreat?